12 days of cookies: Day 4 - Mom's molasses crinkles

As an adult, there are so many signs in the outside world that it's the holiday season.  Festive department store displays, serious discounts on butter at the grocery store (!!!), and a plethora of terrible jewelry commercials on TV, just to name a few.  I've realized that the best things, however, are a little less flashy and easily found at home.

My favorite tell-tale sign that Christmas lingered just around the corner, both growing up and now, has always been my mom's baking.  She'll be the first to admit that she's not crazy about cooking, but she is a an expert baker and I get my passion from her (remember what she was doing the night I was born?).

There was nothing better than coming home from school to discover that Mom's sweet shop had invaded the kitchen and filled the house with smells of butter and sugar.  Gone were the little tree centerpiece on the island and the holly tablecloth on the kitchen table.  In their place were dozens upon dozens of cookies on every cooling rack we owned of every shape and flavor.  Most people, okay including my dad, sister, and I, would've been slightly overwhelmed by the selection, not knowing what to eat first.  But there was always one that simply had to be my first taste of Christmas...

My mom's molasses crinkles!  Warm and spicy with sugary crunch on the outside and a chewy center from that rich molasses.  Make your kitchen smell like the season of giving (by giving yourself some cookies, ahem) and bake these ASAP.  My mom would approve :)   Click here for the recipe!

Previous posts in this series:

Day 1 - Oatmeal raisin cookie
Day 2 - Orange creamsicle cookie
Day 3 - Black and white cookie